September 25, 2010
(last updated February 22, 2024) 
Hey guys! Checking in with a quick post. How are your weekends so far? As I write, I’m on the train up to Chatham, where I’ll be until tomorrow afternoon. It’s been a very long day so far, but fortunately I started it off the best way possible: with a delicious breakfast.
Now, I know my strengths as a food blogger. Want a delicious salad or dressing? Raw wraps and sammies? Hummus recipes of infinite variety? A hearty vegan dinner? How about some tips on vegan transition, lifestyle adjustment, and nutrition—or tips on how to be a happy vegan traveler, office worker, dinner party guest, or restaurant diner? Need a boost of confidence as you embrace a healthier and more humane lifestyle—publicly or privately? Or are you trying to quit smoking, and you just want someone to tell you that you’re not going to lose your mind? I’m your girl.
Ask me to concoct a raw triple layer cake, though–or even a professional looking raw pizza–and I may disappoint you. As me for tips on how to run a marathon (or train for one), and I’ll stare at you blankly. As me how to sculpt killer abs, and I’ll tell you to take a Core Fusion class.
Ask me how to bake, and I’ll tell you to talk to Julie.
Julie Feld is the mastermind behind Savvy Eat, a chronicle of Julie’s days as a college student, her playful and thoughtful forays into nutritional science, and her honest musings on life, love, and the little things. Most of all, it’s a collection of Julie’s remarkable baking recipes. I’ve followed Julie’s blog for a while, but it wasn’t until the HLS this year that I started reading regularly, in part because I was so impressed with her contributions to the “ups and downs of pressing publish” panel. Now, I check in on Julie often through the ether, always grateful for her pensive, intelligent, and honest thoughts. When Julie recently announced that she’d be giving away some of her famous scones in honor of her blogiversary, I commented that I wished they were vegan, because a scone package sounded delightful. Julie wrote back to say she’d be glad to veganize them, and I entered the contest less than a minute later. I’m happy to say that this is the very first blog giveaway I won!
It’s lucky, too, since I’m not much of a baker. Don’t get me wrong: I can bake. I have baked. It’s just not my personal forte, and I don’t often make the time. If for some reason I should have that rare hour of downtime on a weekend, you’ll probably find me trying to make a new soup or nut pate. I’d actually really like to get better at baking, since vegan cookies and cupcakes seem to pave the way even into stubborn omnivores’ hearts. But in the meantime, I stick to the cooking and uncooking I know I’m great at, and leave scones to the pros.
Two days ago, a package of vegan pumpkin scones arrive at my office. When I opened the box, aromas of cinnamon and sugar wafted toward me—I was on the phone at the time, and this was a little distracting. I had a scone as an afternoon snack that very day, and was delighted. So were two very lucky coworkers who happened to be in the right place at the right time. I had a second helping of cinnamon pumpkin heaven this morning. Since I haven’t gone a single day this week without my butternut squash smoothie, I figured I’d have to keep the trend going, but I made it with canned pumpkin instead.
This drink is really incomprehensibly good. If you don’t believe me, just ask Ash. She’ll tell ya.
I served it with two of Julie’s pumpkin scones, and life was complete:
Julie, you have mad skillz. Thank you!
Since my friendship with Julie happens to have been a happy by product of the HLS, I wanted to mention—really belatedly—that the video of my chat with Caitlin is up, and can be accessed here. Check it out, if only to see Katie’s moving speech. One thing that occurs to me in retrospect is that my original intention was for the presentation to be a hard hitting look at the impact of food blog reading (and writing) on such conditions as food guilt or orthorexia. What it became was a pretty upbeat tribute—a “how food blogs changed my life” fiesta, if you will. This is totally fine—obviously, I love food blogs and credit them with incalculable amounts of good, or I wouldn’t write one! But I do wish that we’d been able to touch more on the hazards of blog reading, especially among women who are prone to orthodox thinking. Oh well, next time! Tt was a great day, and if you want to hear me pronounce my name the way it’s pronounced, or listen to me stammer when I get nervous, click away!
On that note, friends, I bid you happy Saturday.
xo
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Categories: Uncategorized,
Smoothies
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I’ve gotta try that smoothie, it looks wonderful and I have an excess of butternut squashes from my garden now. And I think I’m a bit orange too from eating so many carrots and squashes too. But it’s all good, I call it natures healthy tan. 😛
MMM that smoothie looks delish! 🙂
I am definitely going to make that smoothie — the color is so beautiful and I bet it tastes wonderful! How nice of Julie to make those scones for you. What a nice friend 🙂
I’ll have to watch that video, and I would love to hear more of your thoughts on blog reading/orthorexia/food guilt.
That smoothie has my tummy talking to me! 🙂
I make pumpkin cookies for my dad, who is your every day carnivore who doesn’t have a tolerance for vegetarian meals. He LOVES these cookies. Whenever I visit my family I always make something that combines my way of eating and theirs (usually a grilled veggie salad, macaroons, whole grain cookies, or some sort of veggie mash/puree), I am going to make this smoothie for my dad and let you know how it goes. I think he will love it.
XO!!!
that smoothie looks amazing! i am OBSESSED with pumpkin/i just typed pumpKING which he is clearly reigning my culinary explorations lately. i’m just waiting for my palms to turn orange lol
Yumm, your breakfast looks really delicious!
I wanted to watch the video, but somehow it doesn’t work 🙁 The website just tells me that it doesn’t recognise my network *sigh* Don’t know what’s wrong, but it’s a pity.
The scones look wonderful. I thought the talk that you and Caitlin was great! 🙂
Those scones look wonderful!
I’ll be making that butternut squash smoothie tonight for supper! The boys and I had a late lunch and I’m soon to hit the yoga mat. It will be nice and refreshing after. I went to order some Vega products but alas, like everywhere else, they don’t ship to Guam.
Looking forward to watching the talk!
Yum, scones.
Listened to most of your talk. Great points, wish I was there! I agree that some people are interested in raw for the wrong reasons. I have often wondered why some people do it who don’t have serious health reasons or other issues. I do think in general the blog community is very supportive, but I stick to those that feel that way to me and as you said, edit the google reader of those that don’t.
What a lovely breakfast! Perfect fall foods.
Oooooh. That smoothie looks delightful!
Uggggh…why did I just read this post?? Now I want that smoothie!!!! I just found a steal of a deal on organic pumpkin though…$1.55/can!! 🙂 Awesome right up about Julie. Her kitchen dedication is amazing. I bet the scones were awesome! Have a great weekend Gena 🙂
I just posted all kinds of pumpkin recipes and some pumpkin talk on my blog yesterday. I know this sounds crazy, and I posted about it, but I thought I was the only one in the ‘sphere who doesnt “love” pumpkin. It’s fine, but I am not like in total lust or anything. Turns out others chimed in with the same sentiments; but what I do adore is cloves, cinnamon, lemon balm, pretty much everything IN pumpkin pie SPICE. Now we’re talkin!
But your smoothie, I think I need to try it!
And Julie and her gift and generosity…wow, that’s an amazing girl and friend!
Enjoy your weekend away, Gena!
🙂
That looks SO GOOD! Smoothies never fill me up, and when I make them I always stick to my trusty Green Monster, but this one may need to make an appearance!
Oh gosh, I can feel the faux orange glow coming on already! I just bought pumpkin today, what a lovely coincidence! (:
I think this may be one of the nicest things anyone has ever written about me. I’m so, so glad you liked the scones!! xoxo, J
I am SO looking forward to trying this smoothie! Must try this week. I am still addicted to the Chocolate Cherry Bomb Smoothie though, so once I pull myself away I am so there 😉
I watched the presentation, and I think it was really great…but I do agree that more discussion at the end about the downside to reading blogs would have been good. However, I wonder if, with the audience, that would have been possible. This is not to put them down at all…I just know that, as a facilitator, I often try to lead discussions like this where I encourage people to reflect inward on criticisms they receive fro others. Doing so can be a powerful tool to improve a profession or discipline, a community, etc., but it ALWAYS a struggle to get people to do it. I think you guys did the best you could, and with more time and more prodding you could have got the conversation going in another direction!
Hey! Your breakfast looks scrummy! I love your writing style – your blog is great! xx
I love that color of the smoothie!
It’s too bad that there was no conversation about how blogs can sometimes impact people in a negative way; that’s probably something that really needs to be discussed.
You have got me addicted to our squash smoothie! I can not get enough of it made with delicata squash. woo. Now I need to buy a container of vega, my packets are diminishing 🙂 One question do you know where I can buy kelp noodles? I did not see them at whole foods (I live on long island)
Kelli,
I actually discussed this in detail in the noodle post!
G
ok must have missed it. Thanks!
Oooh you’re going to turn orange, but it sounds like it’s soooooo worth it! 🙂
You won the pumpkin scone lottery!
Ha! I always think I will, between the pumpkin and the amount of carrots I eat. But it hasn’t happened yet?
When Skylar was about 11 mos old and just eating solid food, i.e. baby mush, she was eating lots of pumpkin, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, etc and at her 1 year checkup her doctor asked me if she was eating alot of orange foods, I said yes, why? And she said, well, she has a bit of an orange hue 🙂 So we backed off the orange foods for a bit…haha! It really can happen!
Wonderful insight on blogs, bloggers, breakfast.
Have fun in Chatham!
That looks like a perfect breakfast! Interesting post, you seem to know alot about the philosophy behind blogging…